We can all do

AS A resident of Cardinia Shire I would like to support the Gazette’s Talk The Toll Down campaign and comment on the commitment by the management team of Cardinia Police Service Area for allowing one of its members, Sgt Nigel Atkins, to contribute his support to the initiative.
While I am not at the slightest interested in the history of the Titanic, which was highlighted in Sgt Atkins’ article (Gazette, 30 November), he must be commended for his insight into the shocking loss of life and accidents on the roads within the area managed by the Cardinia Highway Patrol.
However two other articles, which were part of the campaign last week, touch on what I believe is part of the foundation stone of a larger campaign that could take the responsibility away from the police and make all road users accept that they must also take responsibility for the road toll, not only in Cardinia Shire but on all roads throughout the nation.
The two articles I refer to were the letter from a Pakenham mother titled Do Something and the initiative by Beaconhills College in introducing a Year 10 Driver Education Program.
Combined, these two articles highlight what is urgently required throughout Australia to combat what is fast becoming an epidemic with fatalities and injuries that result from the ever increasing numbers of accidents on our roads. The time has come for both State and Federal governments to “do something” about this carnage by the way of developing a Learner Driver Program in all schools across this nation.
This program should not be an elective or component of other subjects, but should be a stand-alone subject as it is with mathematics, English or science.
While these subjects are important, what use are they when those who learn them become a road statistic?
A Learner Driver Program could be introduced at primary school level and be compulsory as the future drivers move into secondary education.
One statistic that is important to remember is that close to 100 per cent of the students who leave school will become drivers on our roads and it is the responsibility of our elected members to ensure that our roads are made safe for all users.
I would like to think that there is one political party, or for that matter one solitary backbencher, be it at a state or federal level, that has the courage to take a stand and tackle this problem.
All across this nation local, regional and major newspapers have programs similar to the Gazette’s Talk The Toll Down and politicians actually employ staffers to monitor these publications to try to understand the feeling of the electorate, particularly as it is the elector who decides their future at the ballot box.
The time has now come for the elector to apply the pressure and demand some action. This could be done via a concentrated campaign of contacting all politicians from all parties. These days, with the availability of email, Facebook and Twitter, it is much easier to support a campaign and lobby our elected members.
To support the Pakenham mother’s plea we can all “do something” over the coming months.
My commitment is to develop an email list of every state and federal politician requesting, no demanding, that a Learner Driver Program be introduced into our national schools curriculum. Following that I will forward the same email onto as many friends as possible requesting them to take similar action.
If we all repeat this simple process we may just have a groundswell of support for a National Learner Driver Program.
The alternative is to “do nothing” and wait for the knock on the door or the phone call advising us that one of our loved ones will not be coming home
Remember the proverb:
There are people who make things happen,
And there are people who watch things happen,
Then there are people who wonder what happened.
I say strive to be number one and take action now.
Gary King,
Kooweerup.